(1) Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a correlator and, more particularly, to a correlator for altering a position of vehicle tires prior to introduction into a conveyer of a vehicle washing system.
(2) Description of Related Art
Vehicle washing systems have long been known in the art. By way of example, automatic vehicle-washing systems are well-known and are in widespread use for washing passenger automobiles, trucks, buses, railroad equipment, and the like. A typical system includes a conveyor for moving the vehicle through the installation, and a series of power-driven brushes which are moved around the vehicle under a drenching spray of water and soap or detergent to remove dirt and grease. The washed vehicle is given a spray of clean rinse water, and is then moved to a drying station. Finally, after being washed and dried, the conveyor pushes the vehicle from the washing system.
A conveyor typically includes a set of guide rails to direct the vehicle's tires. Once in the conveyor, chain-pulled rollers engage with the tires to push the vehicle through the guide rails and the washing system. Provided that all of the tires are properly aligned with the rails, the vehicle will easily pass through conveyor with no damage to the vehicle or conveyor system. However, a misaligned vehicle can be problematic for the conveyor and/or vehicle. For example, in many cases, the entrance to the conveyor follows a turn that is required due to a small lot size or entrance point. When turning the vehicle into a conveyor, driver error can cause the front and/or rear tire to enter the conveyor at an angle. As is often the case, directing the front tires can be rather easy for a driver; however, rear tire alignment is considerably more difficult for the average driver and can result in misalignment. Such misalignment can cause the vehicle to “jump the curb” as it enters the conveyor. As can be appreciated, forcing a vehicle to jump a curb to enter a set of guide rails could be damaging to both the vehicle and conveyor system.
To prevent such misalignment, most conveyor systems require a minimum straight-entry run prior to introduction to the guide rails. The straight-entry run provides space for a driver to straighten the vehicle and align the vehicle's tires with the guide rails. While an elongated straight-entry run is ideal, lot and land size may limit the amount of space that is available for a suitable run.
Thus, a continuing need exists for a system for aligning a vehicle and the vehicle's tires for introduction into a conveyor of a vehicle washing system while reducing the length of the minimum straight-entry run.